India is the repository of an astounding wealth of ancient knowledge belonging to different periods of history, going back to thousands of years. Most of this knowledge belonging to different areas of intellectual activity such as religion, philosophy, systems of science, arts and literature is preserved in the form of manuscripts. Composed in different Indian languages and scripts, they are preserved in materials such as birch bark, palm leaf, cloth, wood, stone and paper.

India has the largest collection of manuscripts in the world. They are spread all over the country and also abroad in different libraries, academic institutions, museums, temples and monasteries and in private collections. The rich manuscript wealth of India today faces a threat of survival. However, India has possibly lost a vast amount of this wealth. Sufficient information on them is not available today. Among the existing collection, most of them are in a state of decay and damage. Among the extant collection, only a very small portion has been surveyed and documented properly. Experts fear that almost all the palm leaf manuscripts will perish in the near future due to decay, and wear and tear. The invaluable heritage of India in the form of manuscripts has to be documented, preserved and made accessible to us and to succeeding generations.

The Department of Culture, Government of India, has set up a National Empowered Committee chaired by the Minister, Ministry of Tourism and Culture and comprising the Secretary (Department of Culture), Govt. of India, Member Secretary, IGNCA, Director General, National Archives of India, and 10-15 experts nominated by the Government of India. The Department of Culture has also constituted a smaller Executive Committee comprising Secretary (Department of Culture), Member Secretary, IGNCA, Joint Secretary (Department of Culture) and 4-5 experts nominated by the Government for better coordination with the Department of Culture. A Mission Director assisted by a small complement of staff coordinates the activities of the Mission.

Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is the National Nodal Agency for the implementation of the Mission, and will house the National Manuscripts Library. The National Manuscripts Library is envisaged as the central repository for microfilms and digital copies of all Indian manuscripts. The Library is expected to provide manuscript services to the scholars for accessing any information and obtaining microfilm/digital copies. The Mission would collaborate with other national institutions and the several partner institutions in the country.